


Give It All For...

by 46hasu



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, hornet can see dreams now, hornet is tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 05:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19311991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/46hasu/pseuds/46hasu
Summary: “Not for you. Never for you.”The Pale King continued to stand silent as he was until he nodded. “So that is why.”-Hornet finds herself in the White Palace at its old glory and the Pale King has few questions for her.





	Give It All For...

There were moments when the leftover dreams of the dying kingdom blended with reality, making it near impossible to tell them apart. And Hornet hated it. 

When it occurred the first several times, she worried that she fell victim to the infection but that fear was quickly discarded.  As far as she knew, she was the only one who saw such occurrences. She suspected that the reason behind being the witness to these occurrences was due to her being a child of the Pale King.

Maybe the little ghost also had these moments but she wasn’t going to ask. It wasn’t as if they would be able to respond and it was pointless knowing it. Besides, she knew how to handle it by now. 

She was standing in a corridor filled with light. The pure white of this place was beautiful but it brought nothing but a bitter taste in her mouth. The paleness felt as if it was going to bleach her red cloak white if she stayed here for too long. She has seen places warp into its former gloried self before but ending up here of all places was new. 

Hornet glared at the pale flowers and plants that adorned the empty walls, fighting the urge to hit them with her needle. These leftover dreams faded by quicker if she didn’t disrupt anything, so all she could do was glare at the plants and attempt to find an exit from this wretched place.

The sound of her footsteps seemed to mute itself as if to not to stand out of the surroundings. She let out a frustrated growl and started to walk faster. 

Dreams always faded soon, so she wasn’t worried about being trapped in this place forever. (At least, she hoped not.) It was the whole paleness of the corridor that vexed her. It was exactly as she remembered. Too bright. 

A door finally appeared at the end of the corridor. That should lead her out of this dream, though how she knew that she didn’t know. She learned following her instincts yielded best results in dealing with leftover dreams like these. 

The pale door looked larger than she expected. She attempted to push it open but found it wouldn’t budge. Letting out a quiet sigh, she pulled only to realize that wouldn’t move it either. Looks like she would have to find a way to open the door. 

“You used to be impatient,” she heard someone behind her and spun around with her needle pointed. “Glad to see you’ve outgrown it.” 

The dreams have shifted and turned into a new area. This time, instead of a corridor, there was a great balcony overlooking what was once a great city. 

Another thing that was new was the figure of the Pale King overlooking the grand city. Hornet couldn’t see the city from the blinding light but she could hear the busy roadways and its travelers. She turned back to see the door was still there. One last pressure on it confirmed that it was indeed locked. 

It wasn’t surprising to see him here but the locked door was new to Hornet. She never had difficulties leaving old dreams behind. 

“By now, you would be screaming at the door to open up,” the Pale King didn’t look at her but continued to talk. 

Hornet let out a huff. If this apparition of the Pale King was expecting her to reply, she wasn’t going to give it the satisfaction.  This dream wasn’t any real as the rest, so there was no point in wasting time with it. 

She left the door and walked on to the balcony, looking for a key or a lever to open the blasted door. But there wasn’t anything besides the pale plants and the apparition. 

“Why are you still here?” The Pale King’s figure asked her, curiosity in its voice. 

Hornet stopped her searching briefly to wonder if it was appropriate to stab him with her needle. She mused with that idea for a while until she discarded it. It was a waste of time and wouldn’t accomplish anything. (Besides giving her satisfaction of it.)

“This silent treatment will get you nowhere,” he spoke again. “I asked a question.” 

“And I have elected to ignore it.” Hornet finally snapped. She was getting nowhere with this. 

“Ah. So you can hear me.” The Pale King finally turned towards her. “I was starting to wonder if you could.” 

Hornet straightened her back and glared at him. He was as she remembered him.  Tall crown, white robes, and dark eyes that seemed to judge everyone. He did seem shorter though. 

“You’re not real,” Hornet spoke, her voice low to hide contempt.

The Pale King’s apparition tilted his head. “I’m not?” 

She continued to glare at him, keeping her needle close. 

“I have been called many things,” he spoke. “But calling me “not real” is a first. Interesting. Why am I not real?” 

“I have no time for this.” Hornet walked away. 

“You didn’t answer my question.” The apparition called which she ignored. 

She kept walking until she found herself back in front of him again. Of course. She has walked around in a loop.

The Pale King looked at her with an amused expression. “Haven’t fully outgrown the impatience then,” he muttered.    

Hornet ignored him and turned to the door to study it. If she can open it, then she would be able to escape this dream. 

“You didn’t answer my question.” The Pale King repeated. 

She thought for a while. Maybe this apparition was keeping the door locked. Wouldn't hurt to ask. 

“Are you keeping this door locked?” she asked him. 

The Pale King looked at the door and studied it, silently thinking. “If I am?” 

Hornet glared at the king. “Could you open it?”

The Pale King thought a while more. “If I can’t?” 

Hornet inhaled to calm down and reminded herself again that stabbing this apparition would get her nowhere. “Then you have no use for me.” 

The Pale King nodded and looked back down at the city. Hornet, meanwhile, studied the door, trying to think of ways to open it. 

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Hornet looked up at the figure. There was no harm in answering his questions, though it irked her that he hardly answered any of her questions.

“You are not real,” she spoke slowly. “Because this is all a dream. You’re just a dream of someone that has died.”

“Good to know you can discern the difference between dream and reality,” the Pale King nodded. “In fact, it might be why she hasn’t gotten you.” 

Hornet studied him. “You knew you aren’t real, yet you still asked.” 

“I had to know,” he looked at her. “If you were capable of something as simple as this.” 

She shouldn’t be surprised at this really. The only moments that she could remember being with the Pale King when she was younger were the days he tested her strength and intellect before being collected by the White Lady. 

“I also asked one question,” The Pale King continued. “Why are you here?” 

“Does it look like I want to be here?” Hornet answered, her patience in this dream growing thin. 

“That’s not what I meant,” The Pale King interrupted her. 

She was confused for a second until she understood. Why stay in a dying kingdom?

She could run away from this cursed land and face no consequences. She could be free from Hallownest.

There was a time when Hornet would stand in the Howling Cliffs and look at the border of Hallownest. How easy it was to keep walking and never look back.  She could easily get a new life in a stable kingdom. She can be a hunter, an artist, or even a student. There wouldn’t be any burdens for her outside Hallownest.  

But she stayed. Why? 

“Someone must protect Hallownest,” she answered. “And all that was left behind when the price was paid.” 

“Sacrifices are necessary to keep this kingdom alive,” the Pale King said in an agreeing tone. 

Hornet felt something break in her. Maybe it was the last of her patience or her temper. Either way, she didn’t care.  

“You wouldn’t know that,” Hornet glared at the old king. “Don’t speak of sacrifices and prices for Hallownest when you gave up nothing.” 

The Pale King stared at her. 

Hornet would never allow herself to act on emotion, it was a weakness that could get anyone killed in Hallownest. But how dare this bug in front of her speak of sacrifices.  

“Why I stay for Hallownest. Why I protect this kingdom is not the same reason as you.”

“What is the reason?” The Pale King asked. Silent and distant as he always has been. 

“For the bugs that stood hopeful and loyal to this kingdom. For those who do not deserve to be walking corpses in this land. For those who gave and continued giving when they had the choice to leave, just as me. And for my mother, who gave me this life.” 

The Pale King said nothing. 

“I do it because I am grateful. I am grateful to live this life even if it is difficult and has heavy burdens.  I don’t chase after a life that is free from this because I don’t want to. I want to protect Hallownest for all it has offered me no matter how little it was or how cursed it is. I’ll give it all for Hallownest. But I don’t do it for one thing.”

Hornet glared at this apparition of a bug she grew to be contempt.  The one that rode on from the sacrifice of her mother and those who were loyal to him. And when no one was left to give their all, he vanished. 

“Not for you. Never for you.” 

The Pale King continued to stand silent as he was until he nodded. “So that is why.” 

Hornet felt her cape flutter from a soft breeze behind her. She turned back to see the door has opened. 

The ghost of the old king looked back down at the bustling city full of old memories that were once true but now forgotten. He continued to look down at the forgotten dream as Hornet walked out the door without looking back.  

She continued to walk even as the sounds of the busy city fell to silence and the blinding light dimmed. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hardly read any fics of Hornet getting tired of the Pale King's bs and snapping so here it is


End file.
